Knitting-machine.



PATENTED MAY 19, 190s.

N0 MODEL.

' a sums-SHEET s- UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFIcE.

LE ON O. I-IUSE, OF LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-TI-IIRDS TO WARREN D. HUSE SHIRE.

AND WALTER L. l-IUSE, on LACONIA, NEW HAMP- KNITTINQ-VMA'CHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 728,465, dated May 19, 1903.

' Application filed March 6, 1397.

To all whom it mag concern:

conia, county of Bel'knap, State ofNew Hainp-' shire, have invented an Improvementin Knit-i ting-Machines, of which the following descrip-' tion, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on 1 l cam of the'cam-cylinder, and then the plain the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the pro-,

.duction of a novel circular-knittingmachine adapted to automatically change from plain knitting with one series of needles to ribknitting using two series of needles andalso to' a make in the ribbed fabric a welt.

' in separating the fabric and also to present loops to be subsequently picked onto other needles ofafooting or other knitting machine.

In my improved machine in knitting, for instance, a stocking-leg I commence the knitting for the leg with plain knitting, the fabric being of a diameter suitable to fit the ankle part ofthe leg, and I continue the plain knitting until the tube is of a length suitable to constitute the ankle, and thereafter the dialneedles, which during the knitting of the plain fabric were held out of action, will be automatically thrown into action, as will be described, so that they will take thread, and the two sets of needles then cooperate to knit a ribbed fabric, the length of said rib-knitted fabric being more or less, according to the length desired for thestocking-leg, and having knitted a ribbed leg for the desired length the dial-needles are so manipulated automatically that they are temporarily thrown out of action, but they hold their loops while two or more courses of the loops are knitted on the cylinder-needles for the production of a welt for the top of the stocking-leg, the said welt being finished by again putting into action the dial-needles, and thereafter a few courses of ribbed knitting are made to prevent the welt from unraveling. This'done Serial No. 626,262. (No model.)

the dial-needles are again thrown fully out of action, they at this time casting off all their loops, and afterknitting a few courses of plain work on the cylinder-needles alone a slack course is put in using only the cylinderneedles. "lheslack course is made by changing the position of the usual drawing-down circular fabric for another ankle of another stocking-leg is started and the operation is high splice the ankle and later may puta reinforcing-thread into the ribbed fabric to strengthen the leg where'it covers the knee.

Figure 1, in front elevation, shows a knitting-machine containing my presentimprovements, the dial-needle cam-plate being in position to let the dial-needles operate; Fig. l, a detail showing part of the cam-cylinder, the cam-wheel b and lover b to be moved by it; Fig. 1 a detail showing the cam and lever for changing the position of the drawingdown cam and for the cylinder-needles; Fig. 1, a detail showing part of the clamp for manipulating the reinforcing-thread and the pull-off for thatthread; Fig. 2, a left-hand side elevation thereof; Fig. 3,'a plan view with the yoke broken ofi; Fig. 4,.a top or plan view showing detached the cap provided with cams for operating the dial-needles. Fig. 5 is an under-side view of the said cap and its cams; Fig. 6, a partial plan view of needle-cylinder A, having grooves to contain the cylinder-needles, the cam-cylinder A having at its lower end a series of bevelteeth a, (see Fig. 7,) which bevel-teeth will be engaged in usual manner by a bevel-pinion on a main or power shaft, (not shown,) said cam-cylinder also having at its lower end a 5 ring A which rests on -the bed-plate, the yoke A rising from said cam-cylinder and supporting centrally the dial-stud B, to the lower end of which is fixed the dial-needle bed B, grooved to contain the dial-needles,the pat- IOO tern surface or chain B hanging on a cylinder B having a ratchet-wheel B actuated intermittingly by a pawl 13, carried by a lever B", acted upon by a cam B deriving its motion from a beveled toothed wheel B loose on a screw-stud and actuated by the bevelteeth a at the lower end of the cam-cylinder, said wheel B having at its center a pinion B which engages and rotates the toothed wheel 13, which carries said cam, the leverarms O, (herein shown as five in number,) pivoted at G and carrying at their free ends vertical rods which are extended through holes in the bed-plate, are and may be, with the exception of the number of said arms and rods, all as usual in circular-knitting machines using cylinder and dial needles.

The cam-cylinder is provided at its inner side with a cam-path of usual shape, in which is located a drawing-down cam of usual shape, said drawing-down cam havinglocated above its upper end a stop-screw or, which is carried by one of the semirings a, connected with the upper end of the cam-cylinder by suitable screws a. The position of the lower end of this stop-screw determines the position of the drawing down cam for the shortest stitch, and this cam has connected with one side of it a screw-stud a which passes through a suitable slot in the cam-cylinder and also enters a hole in one end of a stitchadjusting lever a having its fulcrum on a screw a, secured in a stand a (see Fig. 1",) secured adjustably to the cam-cylinder by a screw at. This lever a has at its outer end a pin 01., which by a suitable spring (not shown) is kept on a cam a, fast at the rear side of a toothed wheel a free to be rotated on a stud a carried by the cam-cylinder, the arms of this toothed wheel being struck at suitable times by raising, as herein shown, the fourth lever from the outside of the series of levers O, the rod 33, connected with said lever, being put into posit-ion to be struck by one of the arms of said wheel whenever a slack course is to be knitted, and a course having been knitted the same rod yet held upby the pattern-surface again acts to turn the said wheel one step, which lets the drawing-downcam resumeits normal position,with its end against the stop a, said lever being retained with the rod dropped until another slack course is to be made. The cam a, the tooth-wheel (L15, and the lever a constitute means for controlling the making of slack courses.

I will now describe the reinforcing-thread means used, it, with but slight changes in time, being adapted to put a reinforcingthread into either side of the fabric and into the plain or rib knitting.

The cam-cylinder has a stud 0 on which is mounted a wheel 0, having long arms 4 and short arms 5. The hub of this wheel 0 has a suitable cam 6, (shown in section in Fig. l,) on which rests the lower end of aplate d, having at its upper end a laterally-bent finger d (see Fig. 3) to bear on the reinforcing-thread t, which is led through an eye 8 in the slide, said thread coming from a suitable bobbin(not shown) and through an eye 9. The reinforcing-thread passes under the finger d and between it and a rest at the upper end of a stand (1 fixed to the cam cylinder by suitable screws d In front of this stand and interposed between it and the cylinder-needles is a thread-guide e of usual construction, it being adjustably secured by a suitable screw to a stand e fixed to one of the semirings a. The main knitting-thread to be used will come from a suitable bobbin (not shown) through an eye in a guide 12, fixed to the stand d Both these threads are passed through the same eye in the thread-guide c, and these threads are delivered to the needles, one when the slide d is down to clamp the reinforcingthread, letting only the main thread go to the needles, and both when the cam 6 lifts the slide (1 to unclamp the reinforcing-thread and let it be taken up and carried through the eye of the regular thread-guide c with the main thread. The actuating devices for operating the reinforcing-thread means consists of the third and fifth levers of the series of levers C from the outer side. The third lever has attached to its end a link a in turn connected to an arm (1 secured to the rockshaft a, extended across the machine under the bed-plate and having attached to its opposite end an arm it, provided with a rod 32. The fifth lever has an attached rod 34, and the projections on the pattern-chain normally act to keep both the rods 32 and 34 extended above the bed-plate high enough to be struck by the long arms 4. of the wheel 0, and either rod as it is struck by a long arm turns the said 'cani c to put the cam-hub 6 in position to leave the slide (Z down and the reinforcing-thread clamped.

Now to put the reinforcing-tln'ead into the plain fabric used in the ankle to high splice the ankle above the heel of the foot to besubsequently knitted upon it a suitable lump on the pattern-chain lifts the rod 32, so that it is put in position to strike a short arm 5, which will turn the wheel 0 and cause the cam 6 to lift the slide cl and let the reinforcing-thread go to the needles with the main thread, the reinforciug-th read being put out of operation by the long arm striking the rod 3%. This operation is continued until the high splice is put into the desired number of courses, and after that the rod 32 is lowered and the slide cl is left down While the rib-knitting is being done, and when it is desired to introduce the reinforcing-thread into the opposite half of the tube to thus strengthen the knee it is only necessary that the patternchain lift the rod 34 high enough to meeta short arm 5 and lift the slide d to release the reinforcing-thread at a different time in the rotation of the cam-cylinder, and so long as this pin 34 occupies a position to meet the said short arm and the pin 32 to meet a long ICO arm 4 the introduction of the reinforcing-- thread into the knee will be continued, the dropping of the rod 34 so'that it will not be 1 struck by a short arm putting the reinforcing-thread out of operation.

I have combined with the reinforcing-thread means a pull-off to pull from the bobbin (not shown) supplying the reinforcing-thread carried by said plate, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) ex-i tending upwardly from a foot h, adjustably connected with the plate E by a set-screw h bearing againstthe stop h, attached toa'nd slack thread ready to be taken upby the running main thread when the reinforcing-thread is unclamped. This pull-01f consists of an arm g, extended from a collar of a sleeve 9 connected by a screw 9 with a disk 9 having an arm g said disk being mounted loosely on a pivotg said arm g being adapted to strike said rod 34 or the rod 32 whenever either of said rods are lifted highenough to strike one of the short arms 5 ofthe wheel 0, the arm of the disk g striking said pins, one or the other, just before the wheel a arrives in position to be turned by one of said rods, the

turning of the disk by the rod lifting the arm. g so that its free end, restingjust below the reinforcing-thread at the guide, is raised to.

pull 01f slack thread, a spring g attached to the sleeve and to the cam-cylinder, acting nor- I mally to restore said arm into its normal position. The dial-needles laid in the dial-needle bed are actuated by cams f and h, carried by a dial-needle plate E, mounted loosely on the dial-stud B, the said plate having eX- tended above it a hub F1, on which is fixed by the set-screw 100 (see Fig. 2) a collar E having an extended arm E The arm E has. connected to it a link h, attached at its outer end to a lever 71?, a spring 72 keeping said plate in its normal condition, a stop-stud h depending from the yoke A said plate being retained in such positionas long as'the lower end of the lever -h pivoted on the stand it", fast on the cam-cylinder, rests on the lowest part of the cam h extended. from the wheel.

hfiFig. 2, it having, as hereinshown, (see Fig. 1,) four short arms Hr r rf and one long.

arm 7', said Wheel 71 being mounted loosely on astudhs.

e To prevent the too free rotation of the wheel 71. and wheels (1, and no, suitable strong spi-. ral springs, as 23, are placed on and so as to sur-. round studs supporting said wheels. When the dial-needle cams occupytheir fullline positions, Fig. 5, andthe plate E occupies its normal position described, the dial-needles will cooperate with the cylinder-needles to knit a rib fabric; but when the said cams occupytheir retracted positions on the plate E the needles will be retracted to prevent them. from casting 05 their loops, this position of the dial-needles being desired when making.

a welt course, to be described, and also when changing from ribbed work to plain knitted fabric. 'Whenever the cam-wheel h ,"however, is moved to turn the lever 7L and move the dial-plate into its abnormal position in opposition to the spring h the camscarried by the plate will then be so positioned with relation to the dial needles that'th'e' said Me dles will be drawn fully back through the loops on their 'shanks and be out of position to receive thread, thus d ischarging'their loops that a plain web may be'knitted. 4 The dial-needle cam f -is pivoted on a screwstud f carried by a lever f pivoted on the top of the plate E, said stud passing'thro'ugh a slot in the plate, (see Fig. 5,) and the lever is locked in adjusted position by a screw f lever f has joined to it'a link f connected I to the upper end of a lever f pivotally mounted on a stand f, fixed to l the cam-cylinder.

The lower end of the lever f; is kept'by'a s rin 25 ressed a ainst a cam m havin a high and a low step, andfixed on a wheel 1%,

mounted loosely on a stud m In operation let it be assumed that loops have been set upon the cylinder-needles for knitting a plain circular tube. a stocking-leg in accordance with my inven- Now to knit" Ico tion the pattern-chain will raise the rod'33 and turn the wheel a and actuate the slackcourse means described to lengthen the stitch while a single slack course is knitted, and

when knitted the drawing-down cam of the cam-cylinder again resumes its normal position for commencing'the ankle ofthe leg,and the rod 32 is lifted to start the reinforcing thread means'into operation to put in the reinforcing-thread,'as described, to highsplice;

the ankle at a point directly above the'rear of the heel tobe knitted to the said ankle.

After the ankle has been high spliced forthe' I desired length the reinforcing thread means is put out of action, as described, andthede sired length of tubular plain fabric is knitted for the ankle, that depending upon the pat-. tern-chain, V knit as a continuation of it a ribbed legtf While plain fabric is being knitted on the cylinder-needles'the lower end'of the lever k The ankle finished,I'desire to is held against the high pa'rtof cam h (see detail Fig. 1 and the dial-plate E then oc cupies'its abnormal'position, and'the dialneedles will not knit, for the reason that moving the plate E ahead makes the needles o'p-" erate ahead of the thread carrier, so that they are not in a position to take thread andare free from loops. With'the plate E inits abnormal position the leverf connected with said plate and used for actuating the dialcams, is'moved in a direction against thepull of the spring f thus 'remevin g the lower end a of the lever f, connected with lever f from contact with cam m, said lever at such times occupying a position opposite the first rise of the cam m, (see Fig. 2,) but not in contact therewith. This cam m is put in the position stated, so that when the position of the cam h is changed to enable the plate E to resume its normal position and let the dial-needles come into action the said needles may be put gradually into action, as will be described. When plain knitting is being done and the dial-needles are held out of action by putting the camplate in its abnormal position, the lower end of the lever k will rest on the highest part of the cam h, as shown in Fig. 1, and when ribknitting is to be again commenced the pattern-surface raises the rod 30, connected with the first of the levers C from the front, to meet that one of the short arms of the cam which is marked r and starts the said cam, and it is thereafter moved two steps in succession, one at each rotation of the cam-cylinder, the first step carrying the cam from under the end of the lever 72. and letting the cam-plate be moved sufiiciently to put the hooks of the dial-needles in position to be supplied with thread from the thread-guide; but the said dial-needles are not at that instant moved out far enough to throw the loops received back of the latches to knit by merely the change of position of the plate E, because as the dial-cam plate returns into its normal position the lower end of the lever f comes against the first rise of the cam m then in position to hold the said end out, and consequently while the said dial-needles receive thread they do not shed their loops and cannot knit. This easy depositing of the end of the lever on to the cam places the dial-needles under control and obviates any shocks, and the end of the lever f having been so deposited on the cam m the rod 31, attached to the second lever C of the series from the front, is raised by the pattern-chain and the wheel carrying the cam m is turned, further turning the said cam-wheel so that the highest part of the cam m acts to move said lever f and move the dial-needle cams into such position as to immediately draw in the dial-needles, they having had a thread laid into their books, and said needles are so held in for one or more courses, when the further movement of said cam m brings the lowermost part thereof under the lever f and lets the spring f act and put the dial-cams in position to move the dial needles out far enough to throw the old loops over their latches to again take thread and on their inward movement draw new loops through the loops then on their shanks. When it is desired to reinforce the knee part of the leg, the rod 32 will be raised to meet a short arm 5 on cam-wheel c and again start into operation the reinforcing-thread means and continne its operation until the proper number of courses have been so reinforced, and then the reinforcing-thread means is thrown out of operation by lowering the pin 32 and ribbed knitting is continued until the leg is of the proper length to be welted, said levers k andf during rib-knitting occupying positions shown in Fig. 2. To make this welt,the wheel m, having the cam m, will be again moved, and the dial-cams will be moved to partially withdraw the dial-needles, so that they will hold but will not cast ofi their loops, and the knitting for a welt will be carried on on the cylinderneedles for two or more courses, and the welt having been knitted of the proper length the dial-needle cams will .be again permitted to occupy their full-line position to thus complete the welt, and then two or three courses of ribknitting will be made to prevent the welt from unraveling. This done, the rod 30 will be again raised to meet that one of the short arms 0" of the wheel carrying the cam h and will turn the said cam one step, putting the long arm 4' in position to strike the lug 0t, rising from the'plate n, adjustably secured to the bed-plate by'the screw n this lug further turning the cam h to cause it to act on the lever 71. and put the cam-plate E into its abnormal position to remove from action the dial-needles. This brings us again to the starting-point, ready to again make a slack course in the plain fabric.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a circular-knitting machine, the following instrumentalities, viz: a needle-cylinder to receive a circular series of needles, a cam-cylinder to actuate said cylinder-needles, a thread-guide, a dial-needle bed to receive a series of dial-needles, a dial-cam plate and cams, a dial-stud to support said dial-cam plate, means to rotate said plate together with the said cam-cylinder, and a link connected to said dial-cam plate, a cam 7% connected to said link and pivotally mounted on said camcylinder and provided with arms, one of said arms being elongated beyond the others, a lever actuated by said cam and connected with said link, and means under the control of a pattern-surface to rotate said cam intermittingly to automatically turn said dial-needle cam-plate and its cams into abnormal position with relation to said cam-cylinder and its cam,to prevent the dial-needles from knitting,

leaving only the cylinder-needles to knit on plain fabric, substantially as described.

2. In a circular-knitting machine, the following instrumentalities, viz: a needle-cylinder to receive a circular series of needles, a cam-cylinder to actuate the said cylinderneedles, a thread-guide, a dial-needle bed to receive a series of dial-needles, a dial-stud, a dial-cam plate loosely mounted on said stud, dial-needle-actuating cams mounted on said dial-cam plate, a lever as f, mounted on said dial-cam plate, a link f connected therewith, and having an attached leverf mounted on the cam'cylinder, a rotatable cam on mounted on the cam-cylinder, means to rotate said r0- tatable cam to effect a change of position proper times rotate said rotatable cams, as I9 of the cams of the dial-cam plate, a second and for the purposes set forth. rotatable cam 72 also mounted on the'said In testimony whereof I have signed my cam-cylinder,a1ever h actuated bysaid cam, name to thisspeoification in the presence of 5 and a link intermediate said lever and the two subscribing witnesses.

said dial-cam plate to put said cam-plate in LEON O; HUSE. its abnormal position with relation to s'aid Witnesses: v cam-cylinder and cams, under the control of Y EDGAR F. REEVES,

a pattern surface to intermittingly at the l :JOHN W. ASHMANF 

